Diplomacy at work: Khurshid on marines decision to return

Avoids Italian media reports that Sonia Gandhi influenced Italian govt's decision

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today said that diplomacy caused Italy to change its decision and send back two marines charged in the fishermen killing case.

He parried questions on Italian media reports that Congress President Sonia Gandhi influenced that government's decision.

Welcoming Italy's decision to send back two marines, the minister said the decision has to be conveyed to the Supreme Court through proper procedure and he would apprise Parliament about it.

"I would like to share whatever developments have happened with Parliament but I can certainly say we have been in constant contact. I have repeatedly said that you should not write off diplomacy to soon... so at last I can say that diplomacy continues to work when everybody else thinks that everything is lost," he said.

Italy last night said it will send back the two marines to India to face trial for killing two fishermen after receiving an assurance from the Indian government about the protection of their fundamental rights.

Asked about reports in the Italian media that Gandhi influenced the decision on the marines, he said, "The diplomacy that we do under this government, diplomacy that we do for that matter for any policy implemented by this government is obviously given a direction, given an impetus by the Prime Minister and the Congress President."